Did the Cowboys Screw Up By Not Signing the Honey Badger?

Former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu was released by the Arizona Cardinals last week and to many it seemed obvious to many that the 5-year-veteran would be a perfect fit for the young and still developing Dallas Cowboys defensive secondary.

Many in the Cowboys kingdom, in fact, practically demanded that the 'Pokes sign the New Orleans native. From the Cowboys fan site thelandryhat.com:

...the Cowboys have the ability to pursue top-level talent to improve their team, if needed. I think the recent release of former Arizona Cardinals’ safety Tyrann Mathieuis one of those rare opportunities that Dallas must break the bank for.

At only 25-years old, Mathieu’s considered by many to be one of the league’s premier safeties. The Pro Bowler is entering his sixth season in the NFL, which is a rare find in free agency.

Adding a player like Mathieu to the Cowboys defensive secondary would lift this entire unit to another level.

But Dallas management decided to pass on Mathieu, nicknamed "Honey Badger," for reasons assumed to be financial. The 25-year-old instead signed a one year, $7 million deal with the Houston Texans, despite the prevailing opinion of Cowboys that one of the team's greatest needs is a playmaking defensive back.

Despite the availability of star defenders like Malcolm Butler (free agency) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (college draft), no other player combines the skill and star power of Mathieu, and Dallas fans will have to wait and see if the Cowboys' conservative free agent strategy will leave them with a porous secondary for another year.